It was worth it in the end?
by FeuerImHerz
Summary: The king has sentenced Erwin Smith to die: at the sunset he would be hanged. Which are Erwin's last words? What is he thinking? This is the way he is going to die? Is there still hope for humanity? But at the end, Erwin will see that he will always fight for what he believe.


The sky was slowly turning from bright blue colours to more orange tone, even discerning some red colours, the red in the sky was almost as intense as the blood that would unjustly shed that day. As the sky would lose the sun at the sunset humanity would lose one of his greatest fighter, Erwin Smith. The king sentenced him to die on the gallows that day the sun vanished from the sky.

And there he was, waiting for the hangman to come and adjust his rope, seeing as the nobles and members of the Military Police were approaching to the main square of Sina, so they could watch the execution. Erwin looked at these poor unconscious people, believing that by killing him they would destroy all those threatening humanity, oh how wrong they were. If they only knew that their beloved king's soldiers and military police officers were the ones playing with their lives, as if they had no value. The ex-commander had fought for each and every one of them, he wanted to liberate humanity, find out why they were in this walls and so clear the name of his beloved father.

But he was there, waiting to be hanged, after so many sacrifices that was the way they were going to reward him. If his life has to be described with one word, this would sacrifice. Since his childhood he had to see how others and himself sacrified something valuable, his father was tortured and executed for wanting to know the truth that these walls are hiding, all the friends and colleagues who lost their life for the sake of humanity, he even losted his arm for each and every one of the inhabitants of the walls. Now it was time for the last sacrifice, his own lives. He could not help laughing bitterly. Right here was where his story finished? He could find out some things, but there was still so much to uncover. He wished he could die in peace, but his insides were churning, screaming that he must not give his life away so easily, his men needed him, he had so much left to do. Erwin knew that if they gave him more time he could do more for humanity, for the sake of the soldiers who were still fighting for the scoutin legion and on behalf of all the comrades who had given their lives. Auro, Erd, Ness, Gunter, Petra, Nanaba, Mike... all brilliant people who deserved a decent life, but who gave their lives for others.

The drums began to sound while the king sat on his throne, looking haughtily at every human being on the square. As he ordened the executioner to tighten Smith's rope a huge grotesque smirk came into his face. He thought he had won, and even Erwin believed it too for a moment. How where the men he had left? Where they still alive? Did the military police capture them or even kill them? Had humanity lost all of his warriors?

No.

As long as one man would be eager to fight for the truth and glory of humanity he wouldn't lose. His soldiers were not nobodies. They would fight until the end, he trusted them.

Despite all the deaths, pain, disappointment, betrayals, it was worth it in the end.

He would never doubt his men again.

Erwin look up to encounter the eyes of the false king, with a daring look. Then the king lifted from his throne and approached to him.

-Well? Is not there something you wanna tell me Smith? Are you going to whine and beg for mercy as your father did when he was tortured as the scum he was?

-Never.-

-What?! -

Erwin looked at the king and then set his eyes at the spectators. His eyes were sincere and determined. He raised his voice for all to hear the truth:

-I'll never give up! Even my death will not silence me, maybe for you this is a victory. But it is just a battle, the war for humanity will stand. It doesn't matter how much you extortion the truth, torture the truthful men and want to make people as ignorant as they can, you will fail! As long there is a curious man, a woman who doesn't accepts his life, a child who wants to know how things are in the outside ,of the walls, an old man eager to know about the past, there will still be hope! You can kill me, my men, let us at all as common murderers and liars. All my life I fought with everything I have, and yes, I lost my battles, but victories have been worthy of all suffering. Now is when the people must rise up and remove the bandage full of fear that keeps blinding them. It's time to try to raise the wings of freedom hiding in all of us! Here i am, imprisoned, exhausted and wounded but still tying to lift up my wings, because cut my wings, but not my will to fly!WE MEMBERS OF THE SCOUTING LEGION WILL LIFT THE FLIGHT OF HUMANITY AND TAKE IT TO HIS VICTORY!.

A deathly silence descends on the square. Some looked to the warrior standing in front of them in awe and admiration, others did not understand about what on earth did he mean, and others were clearly irritated knowing that he challenged them. That was when Erwin was injured in the lower gut by the biggest liar of humanity, his royal and false Highness. Erwins leg trembled at the sharp pain caused by the king, until he heard the characteristic sound made from a gear when the gas was ejected at high speed. He raised his eyes to see someone with a green cloak with wings on his back, the name of the one wearing the scouting legion cloak came from his lips in bewilderment.

-Levi, you idiot...-

Did he wanted him to get executed to? Didn't he understand what he said that day? "You can kill me, but humanity still needs you." Yet there it was. Had he dared to disobey Hanji and come here alone on his own? Hadn't he made it clear that they should forget about him?

All spectators exclaimed looking man with black hair that had landed on the king's throne, trampling over it. He watched all those presents with calm face, but his eyes gave off how disgusted he was by all of them. He had left the others when he saw that they would kill Erwin on the posters of the city where they were hiding. They wanted to stop him at the time but they failed.

**-Flashback-**

_-You can go now, Captain Levi we need you to rescue Historia and Eren- said Arlert who was unnerved to see how Levi was preparing everything to go there and as he said "Save Erwins fat ass". The thought of Smith dying was horrible, but their priorities were now save his comrades._

_-Tsk, they will be fine, if they haven't kill them yet they won't kill them now. I'm going and there's no way i change my mind.-_

_-But the ex-commander Erwin was ready to die! He wouldnt' want that we fail our colleagues we fail when they need us more than ever- Although these words were cruel he knew it was the truth. They all missed Erwin, but in this cruel beautiful world they lived they had to accept the deaths of his fellows, it was hard but they had to be prepare to lost anyone; even loved ones. Armin respected Smith, he was intelligent, brave and determined; he wish he could be like him when he was older (if was lucky to survive that much). "But i have to accept it" said Armin to himself as he looked the strongest soldier of humanity._

_Then Levi looked Armin with his characteristic look of "Keep talking and I'll beat you so hard that you will not live to tell it." The blond guy stayed stone without saying anything. For some strange reason he always get mad when someone said something he disliked, especially if it concerns something about his height or Erwin._

_-That fool always wants to wear the burden of all problems by himself, and if I'm not going to save his ass it would be like obey him. And believe me when I say I hate giving in without a fight. See you in two days Armin.-_

**-End Of Flashback-**

And there he was, with open arms, showing his swords, ready to kill anyone who stands between him and Erwin. He could not let Erwin die, not after everything he did for him. He gave him a reason to fight, a mission, friends, colleagues, being respected by everyone, and especially gave him hope. He, who felt that his whole life would be a piece of shi, a nobody, had been elevated to the strongest soldier of humanity. And he owed it all to Erwin.

Maybe in the past he had tried to kill him and even came to hate him, but things had changed. If Erwin ordered him to kill, he would without hesitation. And he would follow the orders of his commander until the day he died. When he learned that the new commander was Hanji he couldn't accept it, he would follow Hanji's orders momentarily until Erwin return. Levi was more than sure he had something planned, that idiot was always two steps beyond all. But when he saw confirmed his biggest nightmare, seeing his death sentence , just one word popped to his mind. Unacceptable. Was that all? Was he going to let him be killed like a criminal without fighting over? Was he serious when he said he would surely die? He couldn't abide that order. The only order that wouldn't ever do was something involving Erwin's death. If he, Levi Ackerman, was the strongest soldier of humanity; then Erwin Smith was the man who would free mankind.

The king run so he could hide behind his soldier as he ordered the executioner to pull the lever so the trap door that keep Erwin from falling could disappear and so dying, as the soldiers tried to arrest the captain. Levi ran to the rope, looking at Erwin as he defeated easily all the soldiers, even if he was assaulted by every soldier in the world, it wouldn't not stop him from saving his commander. As long as his gaze connected with Erwin's, he had enough the strength to keep moving. That was when Erwin was felt the trapdoor opening, the executioner had finally pulled the lever, so he looked at Levi saying a soundless "Sorry". His eyes closed as he felt the time going slower as his body fell, feeling the the rope more pressed on his neck, listening to his voice, the man he had all his hope set, full of pain and anguish, as he heard something like a knife cutting the rope.

-¡Erwin ! -

**¿The end?**

**-This is my first english fic, i have written on spanish before, so i tried to translate this, although english isn't my first language. So sorry if there's something wrong**  
**Did Levi save Erwin's life? What if he had failed and has to see how Erwin died? Ah~~ it was open endings has. I wanted to this because of the last manga chapter, so sorry if i have spoiled you.**

**At first i wanted to do a short one-shot, although i have some ideas to continue, or maybe i just do this. This fic goes to my friend SheenaRogers. ****She gave me the song that inspired this fic, "September" by Daughtry, i just heard it and i though about something sad but also inspiring**

**I hope you enjoyed this fic, if you want to comment to let me know something i can make better or simply comment what ever you want, go ahead. Im also open to any suggestions**


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